Apparatus for shaping and filling cigarette boxes



Nov. 17, 1931. R. w. VOIGT 1,832,065

APPARATUS FOR SHAPING AND FILLING CIGARETTE BOXES Filed May 21, 1929 6Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 4

M WM 7 7 17 m &Mmm

Nov. 17, 1931. WLVOIGT 1,832,065

APPARATUS FOR SHAPING AND FILLING CIGARETTE BOXES File M y 21. 1929 eSheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3

Nov. 1-7, 1931. R. w. VOI GT 1,832,055

APPARATUS FOR SHAPING AND FILLING CIGARETTE BOXES Filed y 9 6Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.5

Nov. 17, 1931. R. w. VOIGT APPARATUS FOR SHAPING AND FILLING CIGARETTEBOXES Filed May 21.

6 Sheets-Sheet 0M W WM 7 0 R. W. VOIGT Nov. 17, 1931.

APPARATUS FOR SHAPING AND FILLING CIGARETTE BOXES l y 1929 6Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig. 40

Nov. 17, 1931. R. w. VOIGT 1,832,065

APPARATUS FOR SHAPING AND FILLING CIGARETTE BOXES Filed y 21. 192 6Sheets-Sheet 6 1 I [fig/Ma l I l I Fig.44d

Patented Nov. 17, 1931 near , star i tenses.

ROBERT WILHELM VOIG'I, 0F DRESDEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM UNI-VERSELLE CIGARETTENMASGHINEN-FABRIK J. O. MU'LLER & 00., OF DRESDEN,

GERMANY APPARATUS FOR SHAPI1IG,AI\TD iFILLII TG CIGARETTE, BOXESApplication filed m 21, 1929, Serial'No.

Machines are known for shaping and closing boxes having slides or traysand in particular those for filling the slides of the boxes withcigarettes or like articles.

In such apparatus it has already been proposed to move towards oneanother the slide portion or tray and the shell or case into which it isto be pushed. The slide portion has been shaped during its movement andat the same time the cigarettes inserted in it. Moreover the initiallyflat shell in its movement has been. shaped (i. e. opened) so that onmeeting with the shaped and filled slide portion it is located in thecorrect position to receive it.

Also it has already been recognized that the introduction of the shapedand filled slide or tray into the shell or case presents, diflicultiesand it has been proposed to feed the shells at an ane'le to thedirection of movement to the slide portions therefor in such manner thatone corner of the folded slide part first enters the shell.

The present invention. however. not-only solves the problem ofsimultaneously filling the slide and bending upwards the side portionsbut also the problem of introducing the slide into the shaped shell fedin the same direction in the longitudinal direction of the box.

For this purpose, While the cigarettes are being filled into the slideblank. the side walls are raised and later the completed slide is led onto an inclined track inclined towards the feed track of the shell .sothat it first withits forwardly projecting front edge enters the shell.which is held at its opposite end by means which serve to erect (i. e.open) it. The blank broughtinto the feed track of the cigarettes is heldby a Lil-shaped bridge falling on it whichrests on the bottom of theblank and at the same time permits-the introduction of the cigarettesand forms with its limbs abutment surfaces for the side walls adapted tobe erected by cams or the like. The slide portions after the cigarettesare introduced and the side walls raised are led by the conveying means,while theslide is at the same time completely closed. into a channel in.which the slide portions are fed forwards in the new apparatus. 7section. on the line 33 of Fre. 4 to an 'en- 36%,833, and in GermanyMarch 5, 1928.

the longitudinal side of the box or packet into a channel with aninclined base the cover of which is formed by the lower flight of anendless conveyor band rotating in a suitable di rection. The last partof the inclined base of the channel is inovably arranged and operated insuch manner that the slide part which passes on to this base portion isled in an inclined position to beaks withthe shell fed oppositely to'it,whereupon the base portion is lowered in'such manner that the slide partis coinbined with the shell lying wholly in the same plane. Theinitially flat shell "is pushed forward over a former which presents tothe shell first a knife-like end and gradually expands to the'internalcross section of the erected shell; the shell beingfed forward byfeeding means engaging the outer side thereof and means being. providedfor preventing the former from being displaced so as to permit thepassage of the shell on to the former. The insane for preventing theformer from being displaced consist of a number of pins disposed in arow and in the longitudinal direction of the former, and movable towardsthe former, which pins with their ends are adapted to enter recesses inthe former and are so operated that they are moved in successioncorresponding to the feed of the shell upwards out of and'downwards intothe recesses in the former.

The invention is illustrated in the'accompanying drawings which show oneexample of apparatus for boxes having slides ortrays filled withcigarettesn i 1 shows the new apparatus in side elevation partly invertical cross section on the line 11 of Fig. 2. Fist. 2 is a plan viewof t Fig. 3 shows in cross" lare'ed scale the part shown at the lefthand side of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows in plan also to enlarged scale theportion shown at the lower left hand side of Fig. Both figures refer tothe arrangement for introducing the cigarettes and at the same timeerecting the side walls of the slide. Fin. 5 shows the central part of 1to enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 7 shows invertical longitudinal section the part of the apparatus which serves toconnect the two parts of the box. Fig. 8 is a plan view. It will beobserved that Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the line -5 of Fig. 2 toenlarged scale.

Fig. 9 isa vertical longitudinal section also on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.It should be noted that Fig. 7 shows the left hand part and Fig. 9 theright hand part of the vertical cross section indicated by the line 5-5.Fig. is a plan view of Fig. 9. V

Figs. 11a to 11 a show the slide parts and the box shells in differentstages of production.

, The cigarettes 2 2 are taken from the containers 1 and 2 by drums 3, 4and delivered to feed bands 5 and 6 which feed them laterally of thetrack 7, the cigarettes being depositedin two layers on the track 7. For

this purpose a strip 8 is provided. which is '7 upper finger of which isfed over the strip "8 While the other finger moves between the strip 8and the track 7. The upper finger of the pushing device feeds thecigarettes a to the end 11 of the strip whereupon they are deposited onthe lower layer formed of the cigarettes 2 Both lavers of cigarettes arenow pushed by the fingers of the pushing device and fed to'the slideblank'or tray blank beneath the U-shaped bridge 12. The pusher. 9 is abifurcated member of the construction shown in the copending ap licationSerial Number 449,822 of Neff filed May 5. 1930. This pusher while swingng around with the chain to which it is attached will longitudinallydisplace the two levers of cigarettes relative to one another. To restore them to the proper position on the slide blank before the lattercan be folded. as will be presentlv described. an additional pushingmeansisused. This pushing means comprises a plate 50 capable of swingingin ver tical direction an'd formed with a wing or part 52 adapted to beactuated by suitable means (not shown). After the positioning of thecigarettes onto the s ide blank the plate 50 is swung downwardly againstthe ends of the cigarettes and thereby ushes them back to be inalignment on said slide.

; -.The slide. blanks s are arranged in iles in the holder 13. Beneaththe holder slides to V and fro a pusher 14 having a lug 15. A lever16'pivoted at 16?) to the machine frameis fitted with a roller 16!;which tracks a cam disc 17. The lever 16 is controlled by a spring 16aand engages with its forked end 16d and a pin 14a secured to the pusher14. The pusher is moved to and fro by this means in such manner that oneach stroke it withdraws a blank from the holder13 and -pus-hes it onto'thelconveyor band 18. As

soon as the slide blank abuts against the stops 177) 3 and 4) theU-shaped bridge 12 is lowered thereon. At the same time the charge ofcigarettes is pushed beneath the bridge; at the same moment the pushers19a move upwards and raise the side walls wet the slide blank (Fig.11a). Preferably, the pushers19a and the stops 19?) are mounted on acommon frame" 19. This frame is moved from a-cam disc 20 by means of adouble armed lever 20a and a link 20?) so that the stops 19b first stopthe slide or tray and hold it and then the pushers 19a asabove describedmove upwards and raise the side walls w. Thereupon the'pushers 19aretreat and the stops 19?) move downwards and release the slide. At thesame time the bridge '12 moves upwards. the Xed stamp 12a pushing theslide out of the bridge. The pushing member 21 of the conveyor band 18comes against the filled slide and pushes it through the channel 22.This channelis provided with flanks 23 and 24 which raise the flaps(Fig. 11a) of the slide or tray vertically and bend .over' the tongue .2so that it' lies parallel to the bottom of the slide. r

When the slide or tray reaches the end of r the channel 22 it is movedby a pushing member 25 which is moved by a chain 26 over a track 27 atright angles to the longitudinal direction of the channel 22.'Thismember pushes the slide or tray through a'short channel 28, thefolding plates 29 folding the flap 7c of the slide into its horizontalposition and bending over its sides I? (Fig. 11a) so that the slide isgiven its finished form. After the slide has passed through the channel28 it passes on tothe steep inclined plane 30 and beneath the lowerflight of the conveyor band 31 and is fed in the direction of the arrowa in Fig. 7 towards'the shell of the box/ The flat pressed shells orcases h of the boxes'are piled in a holder 32. Pushers 33 extend througha slot in the bottom of the holder. these pushers being carried by achain 34 and carrying with them' on their passage beneath the holder 32a shell and feeding it in the direction of the arrow (Figs. 7 and 9).The wedge-shaped core or former 35 with its knife-like end 36 enters theopenings in the shell. Several such shells h are adapted to continuouslyengage said former 35 at a time, thereby supporting the former 35 in itsposition at the desired height from the path of the shells h. The former35 gradually increases in dimensions until it has the full internalwidth of theshell and a corresponding rectangular cross section. Theshell is thus shaped and opened while it is carried over 1 the pins 38alternately engage. These pins under the action of springs 39 arepressed with their upper ends against cams 40 which are mounted on thecam shaft 41 and actuate the pins in such manner that the former isalways held by'at least two pins. During the passage of the shells overthe former, each pin is raised in turn until the shell has pushed pastbeneath it. b

At the moment when the slide or tray 8 reaches the position shown inFig. 7 the shell h of the box meets it, the upper front edge of theslide being pushed a little into the shell. At this moment the movablepart 42 of the steep inclined plane 30 is turned about the pivot 43 intothe horizontal position while at the same time the pushing member 33pushes the shell part of the box over the slide. The part 42 is actuatedby means of a cam 4A and a spring 45.

The completed box is pushed by a pushing member 46 which hangs from achain 47, on to a conveyor band 48 which runs parallel to the chain 44but in the opposite direction thereto and delivers the filled boxes fromthe 7 machine.

Figs. 11a to 119 show the different stages of the boxes. Fig. 11a showsthe slide blank as it comes from the holder 13. Figs. 11?) and 110 showthe slide before and after its passage through the flanks 23 and 24:. InFig. 11d the slide is shown in its finished form. Figs. 116 and 11;"show the shell in half and in completely erected position. Fig. 11gshows the finished and filled box as it leaves the machine on the band48.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for shaping and filling a cigarette box formed of a slideand a shell, comprising means for positioning the cigarettes onto ablank, a bridge member adapted to be lowered onto said blank and to formabutments for the sides of said blank, cam members adapted to raise saidside walls after the cigarettes are positioned thereon. an inclinedtrack down which the slide is fed and a feed track for the shellcontiguous to the ve in means for feeding the filled slide a guidechannel associated with said conveying means, a cover for said guidechannel, said cover formed by the lower flight of an endless conveyorband, and a feed track for the shells contiguous to the end of the guidechannel for the slides, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.I i

3. Apparatus for shaping and filling a nel, said cover formed by thelower flightof an endless conveyor band, said channel hav ing a movableinclined base adapted to be lowered and a feed track for the shellseontiguous a) the movable inclined base of the guide channelfor theslides, substantially as and for-the purpose set forth. 7

4., Apparatus for shaping and filling a cig arettebo'x formed ofja slideanda shell, comprising means for inserting the cigarettes in the slide,a bridge member adapted to be low cred on-the slide and to'form with itslimbs abutments forthe side wallsof the slide, cam members adapted toraise said side walls, conveying means for feeding the filled slide, aguide channel associated with said conveying means, a cover for saidguide channel, said cover formed by the lower flight of an endlessconveyor band, said channel having a movableinclined base adapted to below- 5. Apparatus for shaping and filling a cigarette box formed of aslide and ashell, comprising means for inserting the cigarettes in thesllde. a bridge member adapted to be lowcred on the slide and to formwith its limbs abutments for the side walls of the slide, cam membersadapted to raise said side walls, conveying means for feeding the filledslide, a guide channel associated with said conveying means, a cover forsaid guide channel, said cover formed by the lower flight of an endlessconveyor band, said channel having a movable inclined base adapted to belowered, a former presenting to the shell first a knife-like end and agradually expanded portion expanding to the full internal width of theshell, means for feeding the shell over the former, means for preventingthe former from being displaced, said means comprising recesses on theformer and a row of pins adapted to enter said recesses, and a feedtrackfor the shells contiguous to the movable inclined base of the guidechannel for the slides, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In an apparatus for shaping and filling a cigarette box consisting ofa slide and shell,

means for passing ci,g, arettes into a blank slide, means forsimultaneously folding the flaps of said slide, means for feeding in anoblique manner said slide, means for feeding a collapsed'shell towardsaid slide, means for opening said collapsed shell during its feedingmovement, the angle of inclination of the feed of the slide relative tothe feed of said shell being such that the latter will first engage theupper part of the front edge of said slide, and means which, after suchengagement of the shell with the slide, will cause the latter to changeits angular position so that the shell may be shoved over said slide,said means for opening the collapsed shell comprising a former and anumber of members of which at least two at a time are adapted tosimultaneously engage said former and which are adapted in turn todisengage said formeras the shell passes over it.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ROBERT WILHELMYVO IGT.

